Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Roger Apfelbaum
Not Peer Reviewed

Romeo and Juliet (Quarto 1, 1597)


The excellent Tragedie

fightes as you sing pricke-song , keepes time dystance and
proportion, rests me his minum rest one two and the thirde
in your bosome, the very butcher of a silken button, a Duel-
list a Duellist, a gentleman of the very first house of the first
and second cause, ah the immortall Passado, the Punto re-
1130uerso, the Hay.
Ben: The what?
Me: The Poxe of such limping antique affecting fan-
tasticoes these new tuners of accents. By Iesu a very good
blade, a very tall man, a very good whoore. Why graund-
1135sir is not this a miserable case that we should be stil afflicted
with these strange flies: these fashionmongers, these par-
donmees, that stand so much on the new forme, that they
cannot sitte at ease on the old bench. Oh their bones, theyr
bones.
Ben. Heere comes Romeo.
Mer: Without his Roe, like a dryed Hering. O flesh flesh
how art thou fishified. Sirra now is he for the numbers that
Petrarch flowdin : Laura to his Lady was but a kitchin
1145drudg, yet she had a better loue to berime her: Dido a dow-
dy Cleopatra a Gypsie, Hero and Hellen hildings and harle-
tries: Thisbie a gray eye or so, but not to the purpose. Signior
Romeo bon iour, there is a French curtesie to your French
stop: yee gaue vs the counterfeit fairely yesternight.
Rom: What counterfeit I pray you?
Me: The slip the slip, can you not conceiue?
Rom: I cry you mercy my busines was great, and in such
1155a case as mine, a man may straine curtesie.
Mer: Oh thats as much to say as such a case as yours wil
constraine a man to bow in the hams.
Rom: A most curteous exposition.
Me: Why I am the very pinke of curtesie.
Rom: Pinke for flower?
Mer: Right.
Rom: Then is my Pumpe well flour'd:
1165Mer: Well said, follow me nowe that iest till thou hast
worne